In his anxiety, the cowboy Ben Keming took out a low-quality cigar, put it into his mouth, and lit it with a snap.
Along with the sound of deep inhalation, the faint roar of a steam engine could be heard inside his body.
"This is not like the cowboy I first met. You look more like a young lady waiting to be married now."
A sudden sound made Ben Keming freeze up, and the steam engine inside his body suddenly roared, then gradually subsided.
He looked towards a dark corner of the room with a look of disbelief, and saw his spiritual leader Ajid standing there quietly.
He wore a gray Homburg stiff-brimmed gentleman's hat, a straight black long trench coat, and shiny sea monster leather shoes. He walked up to Benkeming and stretched out his fist.
"Long time no see, cowboy!"
"Long time no see, sir."
Ben Keming controlled his ecstasy, grinned, stretched out his fist, and touched Ajid's fist.
"I thought you would walk through the door."
Ben Keming pointed to the door of the fish house.
"If you play your cards as usual, you will only be able to predict the enemy first."
Yu Shengan blinked.
Ben Keming looked thoughtful.
"It seems you didn't get the bicycle production line I wanted?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Ajid, if it was a month ago, it would be easy for me to get a bicycle production line, but now it is difficult. You know, the time reduction and wage increase movement has made the empire uneasy, and the bicycle production line is easy to get. It can be converted into an armed production line, so the empire is very vigilant now, especially since the Puen Evening News lost several printing presses a while ago."
Ben Keming looked apologetic.
Yu Sheng'an sighed secretly after hearing this.
He didn't go get it himself, and here's why.
The bicycle production line is not a bicycle after all. Its value is even more than an ironclad ship.
Because although it looks like a low-end industry, its core contains a large number of mid- to low-end machine tools.
These machine tools can produce bicycles and even weapon accessories.
Once it is mastered by the armed forces of the Time Reduction and Salary Increase Movement, it will be a great threat to the British Phil Empire.
The current movement to reduce time and increase wages has become a thorn in the side of the empire.
It is not an external enemy, and its logo of friend and foe is very conspicuous.
It is an internal enemy. A gentleman who yells in front of you during the day about the time reduction and salary increase movement may wear a hijab at night and participate in violent activities in an organized and disciplined manner.
This movement was not only a workers' struggle, but also a platform for the interests of all parties in the empire to compete.
Countless people took advantage of the guise of a movement to reduce time and increase wages and join this carnival.
Either to violently eliminate competitors; or with ulterior motives; or just to seek excitement.
Imperial agents are limited, workers are unlimited.
The empire cannot cover everything, it can only focus on protection.
Not surprisingly, industrial manufacturing such as bicycle production lines has naturally become the focus of attention.
This is also the fundamental reason why Yu Sheng'an dare not steal without authorization.
If it attracts the attention of the church, it will be a problem.
He would rather obtain it with the help of Ben Keming, so that even if it is detected, the seriousness of the problem will be infinitely lower than that of his god.
"No need to be depressed, my friend. This shows that the movement to reduce hours and increase wages is very effective, doesn't it?"
Yu Sheng'an's comfort immediately brightened Ben Keming's mood.
"You are right, sir. However, it is not impossible to get a bicycle production line."
"oh?"
"Sir Rhett Butler controls the largest shipyard in Kosol in the empire, as well as numerous parts factories, large and small. If you can convince him, a production line for ironclad ships won't be a problem."
Ben Keming whispered.
Mr. Ajid said that we must unite all those who can be united.
Don't push your enemies into the arms of your enemies just because they are capitalists.
The fundamental purpose of the movement to reduce hours and raise wages is to change the imperial system and give workers the right to speak.
Rather than hating capital for the sake of hating capital!
Ben Keming was enlightened upon hearing this, and since then he has been following Ajid's teachings and no longer hates capitalists.
The action plan openly declared that the imperial tax burden was unreasonable and called for lowering industrial taxes, increasing tariff protection, and at the same time conducting diplomatic negotiations to reduce other countries' tariffs.
It was the shouting of this slogan that made the movement to reduce time and raise wages break away from the opposition of capital and direct all the spearheads at the British Empire.
This is also one of the fundamental reasons why the Puen capitalists did not put out the fire with all their strength.
They even secretly funded Ben Keming. If Ben Keming can really reduce the industrial tax, this will definitely be an unexpected surprise.
"It seems you can't convince him?"
"It's a pity, sir. Rhett Butler is very cunning. He wants to..." Benkemin paused and whispered: "...to meet you."
"Huh?" Yu Sheng'an narrowed his eyes.
…
…
If you ask who is the most powerful person in Puen City
Perhaps Dou Sheng Xiaomin's answers will be varied, but in the hearts of the imperial nobles, they all point to Sir Rhett Butler.
Rumor has it that Navy Governor Burton, who held the Poon and Roderick coastlines hostage, had to be polite when he saw Rhett Butler.
There are different opinions as to why.
But Rhett Butler was able to take charge of Corsol, the largest shipyard in Infield, with the lowest knighthood, and take over half of the orders of the Imperial Navy. This alone is enough to explain a lot of problems.
At night, a four-wheeled carriage arrived at the huge manor that stretched for seven or eight kilometers in the southern suburbs of Puen.
-This is Sir Rhett Butler's mansion. He doesn't like steam cars entering his manor.
The carriage passed through the low gardens and stopped in front of a majestic white building.
The young waiter in a black vest quickly trotted to the carriage and put down the footstool.
The car curtain opened and two men filed out.
Under the respectful welcome of the waiter, the two stepped into the white building, walked through the corridors and alleys, and met Sir Rhett Butler in the reception room on the second floor.
He is over seventy years old, with sparse white hair and deep nasolabial folds.
The straight gentleman's uniform cannot support his aging body, but his eyes are frightening and frightening.
—It's too bright.
"We meet again, my friend, Mr. Benkemin."
Rhett Butler stood up from his chair with a smile and greeted Ben Keming amiably.
"Hello, my friend Sir Rhett Butler."
Ben Keming smiled and shook hands.
Rhett Butler's gaze shifted to Yu Sheng'an's face.
He was silent for two seconds and said: "It has been six hundred years since the British Empire was founded. I have witnessed more than a dozen worker uprisings with my own eyes, but the empire still stands tall!"
He took a slight breath, looked at Yu Sheng'an and said, "Mr. Ajid, why do you think these workers cannot succeed?"
Because behind the empire stands the church and the gods!
Yu Sheng'an smiled: "Because I have no ideas and lead the uprising goal!"
Rhett Butler laughed. It was hard to imagine that such an old man could laugh so loudly.
"Hahaha, well said! This is also the fundamental reason why I am willing to meet you."
He said, then solemnly stretched out his right hand, and Yu Shengan shook it with a smile.
After the guest of honor took his seat, Rhett Butler got straight to the point:
"I have already prepared the bicycle production line you want. I have only one request: not to affect my Kosol shipyard or even other companies."
Ben Keming said nothing, he looked at Yu Sheng'an.
Yu Sheng'an smiled: "One bicycle production line is not enough! We must add another armored ship production line."
Sir Rhett Butler's face suddenly stiffened.